SALMON-FISHERY OF SCOTLAND. 49 



distance, as we said, from the laud, such as happen to be near 

 the shore after the ebb-tide sets in, when they find the water 

 becoming shallow from the receding of the tide, are led by their 

 instincts to drop down with the tide into deeper water, until 

 the return of the flood-tide enables them to continue their 

 course, and in thus dropping down, some fall within the range, 

 and are caught in the ebb-traps of the engines in question ; but 

 it is in the summer season, in dry weather, that by far the 

 greatest number are so caught. At that period, when the rivers 

 are so low that they cannot enter them, their instincts lead 

 them to swim backward and forward with the tide, in the 

 vicinity of the rivers, until a flood enables them to enter them. 

 " It is well known," says Dr Fleming, " that when floods occur 

 in a river, the salmon, ready to ascend, speedily enter upon their 

 upward migration. In truth, the fact is so notorious, that any- 

 thing like personal testimony on the subject is unnecessary. 

 There are many things connected with a river in a flooded state 

 suitable to the ascent of the fish. As the water in the river 

 increases in quantity, the shallow parts of the river become 

 deeper and better fitted to enable the salmon to pass over them, 

 and at the same time the artificial obstacles in the form of mill- 

 dams, and the natural ones in the form of falls, are all dimin- 

 ished in force, so that the flooded state of the river is the one 

 best fitted for the fish to ascend, and the instincts of ikefisk seem 

 to be regulated accordingly." Again, Mr Hogarth states, " If 

 the rivers were in a state to receive them, I believe the salmon 

 would all go up the rivers as they come upon the coast ; but 

 the water, during the summer months, is frequently so low, 

 that great numbers of the fish* keep floating backwards and 

 forwards with the tide, until a land-flood takes place, when a 

 great burst of them go up at once/' 



Is it any wonder, then that, when the fish are thus floating 

 backwards and forwards, waiting for water to carry them into 

 the rivers, they should be taken in both the ebb and flood 

 cruives or traps of the numerous engines with which the coasts 

 are lined ? Accordingly, Mr Halliday, the greatest of all great 



* Particularly the heavy fish. 

 D 



